Page 29 of Troublemaker: The Big Picture Edition
I can’t remember seeing him hug anyone like that, besides me, his mother, and his grandparents. He sure as hell didn’t hug his first-grade teacher. I sure as hell didn’t want to either.
Miss Stiles is not the piece of work I had initially taken her to be.
She seems to be taking little pieces of both of our hearts.
Whether she wants to or not.
REASONS WHY I CAN’T DATE MR. V – EMILIA
1. Because I don’t want to lose my job.
2. Even if I wouldn’t lose my job because of it, it would affect the way my principal, the other teachers, the other students’ parents, possibly the other students, and most importantly the way Ryder perceives me. If they were to find out about it. It might affect the way I treat Ryder in class.
3. I’m not ready to dateanyoneyet. Well, not anyone I’m this attracted to, anyway.
4. I would have to spend all my money on underpants if I dated him. I’ve already changed my appallingly soaked panties five times since that annoying phone call last night, and it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours. Not to mention the infinity panty-changes since the night we kissed.
5. Because I did not hesitate to suck cake frosting off of his thumb—in my classroom. Like some sex-starved mouth vacuum. Who does that? School teachers in pornos, that’s who.
6. Because if I got that attached to a guy who didn’t arouse me even half as much as this one does (side note: fuck you, Brent), what the hell is going to happen to me if I actually allow myself to fall for someone like Alex Vega? I can’t be trusted to mold young minds if I’m obsessing about licking sexy earlobes all day.
7. Because I’ve already broken an unofficial school rule by Googling the shit out of “Alex Vega,” and wowza, did I fall deep into an Internet K-hole. Before I knew it, an hour and a half had passed, and I wish I could unlearn that he’s a Hollywood’s Hottest Bachelor or that he’s the youngest person ever nominated for a Tony award for the direction of a Broadway play. He was co-director, but still. And I actually saw the movie he directed last year. The first week it was in theaters. Brent didn’t want to go with me, so I went to a matinee by myself. And I loved it. It was exhilarating and soulful and fun and sexy. It never would have occurred to me to look up who directed it. But now I know.
Now I know he was a teenage actor and that seeing pictures of him with his Disney Channel co-stars makes me feel super creepy becausedamn, they were all so cute.
And I can’t unsee those pictures of him with his stunning ex-wife, the dancer.
Or those pictures of him with various actresses he’s dated since he got divorced.
8. Because I’ve been trying so damn hard to keep myself busy so I don’t email him. Because I just want to connect with him again, somehow. But I’m not going to. I do have some restraint. I mean, I’m trying to teach his son how to have some restraint, for crying out loud.
I’m not going to email him.
I definitely won’t.
CHAPTER 11
FROM: [email protected]
Subject: Hello
Dear Mr. Vega,
I felt it was necessary to follow up today’s meeting, since we were not able to speak candidly in front of your son.
I would like to make it clear, if it wasn’t obvious, that I was shocked to discover that you are Ryder’s dad. I had not Googled you before, so I did not put a face to the name. Given that your ex-wife will be out of the country for several more months and you are currently his primary caregiver and family contact, I’m sure you understand that it’s important we establish proper boundaries and etiquette. Going forward, I think it would be best if we just put things behind us and pretend that we met in person for the first time today.
Your son is a very bright (flirtatious and talkative) student, and I’m sure that since his education is a top priority for both of us, I can count on you to respectfully refrain from grinning at me with that full mouth, using a flirtatious tone of voice, and undressing me with your annoyingly expressive chocolate brown eyes if we should happen to interact with each other again in the future.
Thanks so much,
Miss Stiles
TO: Emilia Stiles
FROM: Alex Vega
